If I Die Young
by SinVeritas
Summary: *WARNING: CHARACTER DEATH!*  Deals with Cal, Emily, Gillian and Zoe


**A/N: I wrote this because my grandma died, today, July 2****nd****, 2011 and I had to write. This was written to the song 'If I Die Young' by The Band Perry. I own neither the band nor Lie to Me.**

The halls were empty. There was no one to bear the scrutiny of the harsh white walls. No one to sweat under the intense white light of the Cube. There was no laughter. Everything was silent, save for the pitter patter of rain hitting the roof. The Lightman Group was empty.

Cal was driving and in an effort not to completely lose it he turned the radio on.

_If I die young_

_Bury me in satin,_

_Lay me down on a bed of roses_

_Sink me in a river, at dawn_

_Send me away with the words of a love song. _

Angrily Cal slammed his hand on the face of the radio effectively turning it off. Tears threatened to spill but he wouldn't let them, to cry would only validate the situation. He never thought he'd be doing this. He shouldn't have to do this. He pulled into the parking lot and sat there for a second trying to brace himself for what he was about to do. Then again, who was he kidding? There was no way to brace yourself for this kind of thing. With one more deep breath he opened the car door and headed into the building looming ominously above him. When he opened the door he fought the urge to empty his stomach just as he had at the hospital. He'd been to so many funerals that he'd just about lost count but he never thought he'd be burying her…

He fought off another wave of nausea, this time staggering and catching himself on a wall. He looked up to see a picture of her smiling face staring back at him. The memory of her smiling at him when she'd proven him wrong about something, or when they had dinner sent a tear rolling down his cheek. Then an angry flood of tears joined their lonely brother and sobs wracked his body. He felt a delicate hand on his arm. Cal turned around to see Gillian's eyes glistening back at him. There were no words as Cal took her into his arms in a much needed embrace.

"She's gone Gil, she's gone."

Gillian's heart had already been torn apart by the news but the sight of Cal, an utter mess, tears streaming down his newly shaven cheeks just about destroyed her. All she could do was hug him tighter, there was no way she could say it was going to be ok. As a matter of fact she was sure things would never be the same.

Cal had just been finishing things at the office when he'd gotten the phone call.

Gillian heard a heart wrenching "No!" and she didn't have to be a voice expert of any kind to know that something terrible wrong had happened. She rushed to Cal's office to see him rushing to get his jacket.

"What happened?"

"Em…she…going back to her mum's…a knife…she's at the hospital"

Cal couldn't get a sentence out but suddenly Gillian's heart fell to her stomach.

"I'll drive."

Cal nodded then followed her outside to her car.

"St. Michael's Memorial."

Gillian nodded then sped off.

When they got to the hospital they practically ran to Emily's room. They didn't stop at the reception desk. Gillian was counting on Cal to know where they were going. They got to Emily's room and found her, looking frail and lying in bed with Zoe holding her hand. Zoe looked up, her red puffy eyes a tell tale sign she'd been crying. She got up and went out into the hallway then motioned for Cal and Gillian to follow her. She didn't seem to care that Gillian was there but that wasn't much of a surprise. She had other, more important things on her mind than the jealousy she harbored for Gillian.

"She just got out of surgery a little while ago. She was on her way home from her friend Sarah's house when a man tried to mug her. She ran but he caught up to her and stabbed her. The doctors don't think she'll make it through the night."

Cal's mouth opened in shock, he looked back into the room and realized that this was going to be his last chance to talk to his daughter. He stumbled into the room and Zoe and Gillian stayed in the hallway. Cal made his way to the chair next to her bed and took her hand in his.

"Hey Em."

Emily's eyes fluttered open and Cal read the relief on his daughter's face and she gave him a weak smile.

"Hey Dad."

"Me and…me and Gil got her as soon…as soon as we could."

"I know."

"I love you so much Em…so much…More than you'll ever know.

"I know and I love you too Dad…and I know how much you love Gillian….Please tell her….I just wanted to tell you that…that I want you to be happy….You've been the best Dad…I could ever hope for….and you've taught me so much….I have no regrets and I don't want you to have any either."

Cal just nodded then hugged her gently.

"Can Gillian come in?"

Cal nodded again then went to go get Gillian.

"Gillian, thank you so much for all you've done for us, you made us a family again. I love you so much Gillian. My Dad's going to need you more than ever now so please take care of him."

Gillian nodded as tears began to stream down her cheeks.

"Of course honey."

Emily gave a sigh of relief then gave them another weak smile. Cal's eye's widened as he realized she'd been hanging on just long enough to say good bye to him and make sure he'd be ok.

"Good bye Dad."

"Good bye Em."

She let out one more breath before the machines straight lined. The nurses rushed in and Cal staggered out into the hallway where his breathing increased. As his nose took in the hospital he realized tit smelled like death then he emptied his stomach in the middle of the hallway.

Cal opened his eyes and realized Gillian was crying too. He grew angry at the thought of the man that had murdered his daughter. After seeing the sketch of the man he'd made a few calls. The man would pay soon and dearly, a few of his friends would make sure of that. He had thought of getting drunk the night she'd died but didn't when he thought that Emily wouldn't have wanted him to.

The funeral began shortly after and it was all Cal could do not to completely lose it while he said his piece. After the funeral ended people came up to Cal and Zoe to give their sympathies. Gillian went first.

"Zoe, she was such an amazing girl, you were a great mother."

Zoe nodded then took Gillian's hand.

"Thank you Gillian, and I think I'd be blind not to see how important you were in Emily's life."

Gillian nodded then went to Cal.

"I'm so sorry Cal."

Cal didn't say anything but just took her in for another hug. Then as she stepped back Cal took her hand in his own. His eyes begged her to stay and she obliged. Eli, Ria and everyone from the office came by to offer their sympathies and they were followed by a myriad of other people. When everyone had gone Cal said one last good bye to his daughter, her lifeless body a cold shadow of the person she once was, then left.

A few days passed and everyone went back to work but no one was paying it much attention. Two weeks after the funeral Gillian was at home, she'd just poured herself a glass of wine and was about to sit down when her doorbell rang. It was late, around 11:30pm and she had no idea who could be at her door. She opened her door to find Cal at her doorstep.

"Hey luv."

"Hey Cal."

"Can I come in?"

"Of course."

Gillian took him in as he passed her to enter her house. He wasn't drunk but his eyes were red from crying.

"Wine?"

Cal shook his head and without even sitting or taking his jacket off he turned towards her.

"I didn't want to tell you earlier because there was a lot going on but I have something I have to tell you. I'm moving, leaving. I just can't live in that house anymore Gil. I don't want to leave you all alone with the office but I'm sorry Gil. I just can't stay in my house. I'll get all of the legal documents taken care of and everything so you'll be the sole owner. You'll do great with it luv and I'm sure it'll be in less financial jeopardy once I'm gone. But before I go I have to tell you one more thing. I wasn't going to tell you this at all but Emily asked me to tell you that night when we were at the hospital. I love you Gillian. I love you so much, and I'm sorry that I can't be what you deserve and I'm sorry that I'm telling you this when I'm about to leave. Emily wanted me to tell you though so I had to."

There was a myriad of emotions washing over Gillian's face. As he turned to go Gillian' ran to him and hugged him.

"Don't go Cal. I love you too and after losing Emily I can't lose you too."

"I'm sorry luv, but I can't stay there anymore."

"Then stay here. 

Cal pulled back and looked at her.

"Gil, I can't give you a happily ever after, not now. I'm sorry."

"I'm not asking for a happily ever after Cal, that was taken from us. We'll always have to deal with this. All I'm asking is that we try to get through this together because I know I can't do it alone.

"Ok luv…ok."

Cal pulled her into a tight embrace and they clung to each other as if their lives depended on it. They both knew that their sanity depended on it.

"I miss her Gil."

"Me too Cal, me too."

**A/N: So, about the ending, I couldn't make it truly happy because that wouldn't be right. But for my sake I had to put a bit of hope at the end. It won't be perfect for them but they need each other so they'll try to make it work. If you haven't heard the song, go listen to it.**


End file.
